


Anemnesis

by LilacMist



Series: my heroes s-supports [4]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: ANGST I GUESS????? BUT ALSO FLUFF???????????, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-10 01:18:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13493808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacMist/pseuds/LilacMist
Summary: heroes made me emo for this ship ok





	1. 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

**Author's Note:**

> give me a man that believes himself too far lost and a lady that loves him unconditionally nonetheless

Princess Eirika of Renais is a renowned speaker, caring ruler, and capable swordswoman. Her qualities move the hearts of those she is with, encouraging them to never give up. Though she gives that strength to others, she needs some of it herself.

"I don't think I can do this," Eirika says defeatedly, brushing off the cover of the spellbook in her hands.

"Why not?" her newly summoned friend L'Arachel asks. "You studied magic in the past. With so many strong mages in the Order of Heroes, the sword is not a choice weapon. Magic is everything!" she declares loudly.

Eirika sighs and meets her friends eyes. "You know why," she whispers.

L'Arachel's face falls, and she takes Eirika's hands in her own. "He would be proud of you," she reminds her. "Just as I am. You're working to bring peace and justice to this realm, a most noble goal!"

"This tome is his country's treasure. It feels...wrong for me to be using it...after what I did to him," she says, voice cracking and betraying her calm demeanor. L'Arachel holds her as she sobs, reliving the loss of one of her dearest friends vividly in her mind. She sees the light enter his eyes once more before he dies in her arms. She hears his soft, gentle voice telling her that he always loved her. She feels his fingers weakly brushing up against her face before his hand falls into her lap, completely lifeless. She hears her own screams, only increasing in volume as his body is lifted into the air and disappears completely. She despairs, just as the demon king tells her to.

"He would be proud of you," L'Arachel reiterates, stroking Eirika's back until she regains her composure as best as she can. 

"You're right, of course," Eirika admits, looking at the tome again. "I will protect those I hold dear," she tells herself, flipping through its pages. "That's what he would want for me...to pick up where he left off."

***

She wanted to see him again more than anything, but not like this. Not a shell of himself, engulfed by the demon king's power. Killing him once was enough to scar her heart beyond repair, and she is sure that killing him again will shatter it.

"I am the Demon King," it says, using his voice. The sweetness and life is gone from it, leaving only hollow regret. She knows this, and yet she cannot bring herself to hurt him.

"Eirika! I need you!" L'Arachel yells from across the battlefield as archers appear from the corridors, swarming around her. Eirika panics, leaping into danger to try and take out the foes before they can hurt her friend. Lady Lyndis and Sir Reinhardt follow her, pulling Eirika out of enemy fire and annihilating the archer threatening L'Arachel.

"You need to be careful! Do you want to die?" Lyn asks harshly. Eirkia is ashamed, but she cannot force out any words. Her head is spinning, and she can't think straight, reliving her trauma like this. The forces retreat, and Eirika is left behind, full of regret. L'Arachel stays with her, opting to let some of the more mature cavalry units take her place.

Eirika wants to cry again, but the tears won't fall. "I can't even protect my own friends like this..." she mumbles, pulling her knees up to her chest and burying her nose in them. "Maybe I should give up."

"You can't!" L'Arachel tells her, pleads with her. "Eirika, you're the strongest woman I know. You overcome any challenge you're faced with. It's not always easy, but you make it through. Please, allow me to assist you. It is my righteous duty to aid you in all I can!" She pauses for effect, and Eirika picks her head up.

"We cannot change our experience, but we can learn from it," she says more quietly. "You don't have to relive the anguish you felt in the war, but you cannot let the fact that you experienced it hamper your growth as a person, and as a queen. You must grow and continue to improve yourself. If anyone can do it, it's you, Eirika," she finishes, wrapping her arms around her friend and squeezing her tightly.

"You can do anything you set your mind to," a tender voice adds from behind them. They both snap to attention, and it takes all of the willpower Eirika has left to not burst into tears right then. "It's something I've always admired about you. You have so much spirit...it breathes life into a tired soul like mine..."

L'Arachel lets her go, and Eirika jumps to her feet, embracing him as tightly as she can. It's him this time. The same light flickers in his eyes that did when they first met. He coughs, unable to breathe with her strong, battle-hardened arms securely around him. She comes to her senses and lets go, fumbling over all sorts of "I'm sorrys" and "I wasn't carefuls." He catches his breath, laughing in between each intake of air.

"I'm...so happy...you're well..." he says shakily, avoiding her gaze and staring at his feet. "Seeing you like this...it's a dream come true...a dream I don't deserve..."

"Lyon..." Eirika breathes, cupping his face in her hands and running her thumbs over his cheeks. "I thought I would never see you again..." Tears start flowing once again, but she does not look away. He hesitantly reaches out and brushes them off of her face. "Please...can we remain like this? Just for a little while?" she asks in a whisper. He wants to more than anything. In the brief moment he hesitates, she hugs him again, this time more gently. "I can't lose you again...not again..." she mumbles, gripping his robes and burying her nose into his neck. He should leave. After all he's done, all the pain he's caused, he has no right to be in Eirika's arms, and yet, he can't bring himself to pull away, not when the one he wants is right here with him. He remains with her a little longer, indulging in her soothing sighs and tender touches.


	2. Forgive my grief for one removed, Thy creature, whom I found so fair. I trust he lives in thee, and there I find him worthier to be loved.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they kiss and cry. i cry too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks lord alfred tennyson for your angsty poem. i wrote this this morning bc i level 40-ed my lyon

He does not deserve this. He's never deserved her. Not her friendship, kindness, or even attention. Especially not after what he did to her. His memories are hazy, and though the summoner claimed that he was controlled by Embla and not the demon king, he knows what he did in Magvel--that he abused the dark powers he was studying and started a war against her country. His choices killed her father, ruined her kingdom, and then...he knows there is more, but his mind is such a mess, he can't pinpoint anything. It doesn't help that she's here, laying beside him, kissing him like her life depended on it.

"I want to make up for lost time," she had told him before he let her into his room. They had sat in silence for a while. Then, she had inched closer, resting her hand on top of his. It felt wrong after he had done so much to hurt her. His shortsightedness, his jealousy, his inferiority...everything that had pushed him beyond the point of no return remained with him. Someone like him should only know despair.

Not happiness. Not the warmth of her hand.

Not delight. Not her delicate fingers dancing up his arm and tangling into his hair.

Not felicity. Not her soft lips pressing against his cheek, then hovering over his own.

Not mirth.

Not joy.

Not anything that his beloved Eirika was willingly giving to him, and most definitely not Eirika herself.

And yet, he couldn't bring himself to reject her advances, instead choosing to indulge in her. He hated himself for falling in love with someone so resplendent. He hated how she disarmed him, not only when they sparred, but also in matters of the heart. She was his weakness, and he gave in to her, even when every fiber of his being told him he did not deserve her.

His mind goes blank as he kisses her back, losing his inhibitions and regrets to her sweet lips. He had dreamed what it would feel like, but no fantasy could compare to this reality. She pulls him down, separating herself from him long enough to catch her breath, then resuming her lavish shower of affection. She misses his lips often, kissing his cheeks, chin, and nose. He shudders, letting out shaky breaths that only encourage her. She laces her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp as she drags her lips across his jawbone, then down his neck. He can't let this continue. His regrets return and hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Eirika..." he murmurs, and she stops, lifting her head and staring at him with lidded eyes and a parted mouth.

"Lyon...what is it?" she asks, leaning towards him again. He pushes her away.

"I...can't..." he mumbles, sitting up and staring at the wall. "Not after what I did to Renais. Not after what I did to you."

Eirika's face falls, and she shakes her head, sitting up with him and grabbing his hands, cradling them in her own. "You were doing what you thought was best for us all. Please, stop berating yourself so harshly."

"It was my own weaknesses that allowed the demon king to take root in Magvel," he reminds her quietly, eyes filling up with tears. "I was jealous of Ephraim. I...lusted after you. I committed atrocious acts and reanimated the dead. You should stay far away from me."

Eirika shakes her head again. "You're my friend, someone I hold close to my heart, no matter what you have done or will do. You can't act like you're the only one that makes mistakes. I've...I've done things I'm not proud of. I couldn't protect everyone, either," she whispers. "I couldn't protect my father, I couldn't protect General Glen...I gave our country's sacred treasure to the demon king." Lyon moves to interrupt, but she places a finger over his mouth. "I...I...I couldn't protect my best friend...I _killed_ my best friend..." she chokes out, tears flowing freely from her eyes as well. "And when he returns to me, he thinks he is the one who is unworthy?"

"E-Eirika..." he stutters, before they fall into each other's arms again. They both sob for what seems like an eternity, knowing that they caused each other so much pain.

"We have both done things unforgivable..." Eirika finally says. "But we were brought to this world where those things were erased from our existences. Who knows how long before we must return to what we once were? While we are here, we should be thankful for the chance to be together once again." Lyon slowly nods, wiping his tear-stained cheek with his wrist and resting his hand on her shoulder.

"I...I know we're going to be returned to our world someday...maybe with no recollection of this one. For now, I would like nothing more than to remain with you." They lay down again, holding each other close until they drift into a peaceful sleep. All that matters is that, for a time, they are together again, making new memories and treasuring every moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um hi guys i like to suffer i guess

**Author's Note:**

> i went to a workshop on trauma-sensitive schools today. add that to the heroes update and you've got an author way too full of emotions for her own good.  
> i have to write more cherche destroying valter to heal my heart


End file.
